The Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) and the Travel Tax

The Travel Tax

Many Filipino citizen (and some foreigners living in the
Philippines) sometimes get a nasty surprise when they check in
for an international flight. They are required to pay in addition
to the well known airport tax a fee called "Travel
Tax". This applies to all Philippine citizens, whether they live abroad or
in the Philippines, and permanently in the Philippines living foreigners (staying in
the Philippines for more than one year). The amount is as
follows:

First Class Passengers

Economy Class Passengers

Full Rate

P 2700

P 1620

Standard reduced rate

P 1350

P 810

Privileged reduced rate for
Overseas contract workers

P 400

P 300

This tax can already be paid when the ticket is purchased, or
will be required to be paid before departure in the airport. As
the PTA office in Aquino the airport does not accept credit cards
only cash is acceptable. When the ticket is purchased in the
Philippines, the issuing travel agent will only release the
ticket when the price including the travel tax is paid.

The Good News

Now all Filipinos living abroad permanently can avoid paying the travel tax.
They only have to present a copy of their passport with the immigration stamp
and the proof that they are living permanently abroad. For Filipinas
living in Germany they have to present the proof, that they have the unlimited
residence permit stamped in their passport. You have to go to the Travel Tax
Counter in the departure hall, show your passport, plus the copies of your
passport (copy machine is available), pay one Peso, and that's it,

Some good news in addition. Some of our German friends informed us that
they applied for the Travel Tax exemption even when they did not have the
unlimited residence permit in their passports. I assume the reason why they succeeded
was because the officials simply cannot read German. So, just try....

Some other people are
eligible to avoid paying this tax as well, like airline crew
members, diplomatic or UN personal etc. These people should check
the requirements at the local PTA office. The one in Manila (the
main office) is at the following address:

If coming from abroad for a short stay in the
Philippines (less than a year!):

Before you leave the airport, go the the Travel Tax counter in
the departure hall. Of course you want to get outside to meet
your waiting party as fast as possible, but this would mean that
you will have a lot of running/taxi and time to do/spent to
process your paper later at the local Travel Tax Office (they are
in Makati, San Fernando, Laoag City, Baguio City, Pamganga, Boilo
City, Cebu, Cebu Airport, Zamboanga (2), Cagayan de Oro and
Magsaysay). Ok, you are in the arrival hall, and it is not
possible to go up with all your luggage to the departure hall
(there is an escalator going up there. So the first thing to do
is to deposit all your luggage and find a trustworthy Filipina to
guard that as long as you are upstairs (why do I hear you
laughing?). Once you are upstairs you go the the Travel Tax
counter located left of the escalator on the window side of the
hall. There you present your papers and your return flight ticket, you will pay a small fee
(100 Pesos) and you will get the exemption certificate. This you
will have to present on your departure at the ticket counter. The
papers you have to present is a copy of your passport (The ID page and the page
with your residence permit, make them
when still at home), and a copy of the page where the immigration stamp has been
stamped. (Actually I don't know if there is a public copy machine available!).

If buying the ticket in the Philippines for your trip
abroad:

Go to your local Travel Tax Office in your area. (When you
need the exact address, just email me). Show them your proof that
you are living abroad. Remember to
have sufficient number of copies available, as they want to keep
them. Again after paying the processing fee you will again get
your exemption certificate. This you will have to show to the
travel agent, and you will get your ticket without that tax.

Some More Good News

Travel tax which has been paid already can be reimbursed within two years after the respective trip. As in most cases the
tax is collected already when the ticket is ordered, many people
simply do not realize that they are paying that tax. But it is
important to keep the receipt and the ticket so that you request
the money back later from the PTA.

The procedure here is the following:

You need to fill out the form 353, Travel Tax Refund
Application. Together with three certified copies of your
passport, two copies of a) the ticket, b) the proof of the
permanent residence abroad (typically the residence permit in your
passport is sufficient) and c) the unemployment certification as
mentioned above, plus the PTA receipt you have to submit these to
the nearest PTA office. The certification can be done by any
Philippine Embassy or Consulate (basically the same authorities as
mentioned above).